Groovy Moonlight
by WogglebugLover-AvengingAtheist
Summary: Grandpa tries to win the heart of a countess vampire and to also help Eddie to impress a girl he likes. While a band called The Groovie Ghoulies comes to town and Herman wants to join it.
1. Chapter 1

If you walked up to 1313 Mockingbird Lane at Mockingbird Heights you would find an ancient Victorian style three story house surrounded by large trees and shrubs and a wrought iron gate. The wind is constantly blowing around this house and the paint is chipped and peeling, most of the windows are cracked with cobwebs at each end. Rats are often seen scurrying along the front steps leading to the great double doors, and just as often eerie howling, and loud roars, and ghoulish laughter can be heard coming from within.

If you had the nerve to get up to the house and get passed the entrance inside you find a loving and fully functional family called the Munsters. The head of the household is Herman, he was made in Germany by Dr. Frankenstein around 1850 and he eventually came to Transylvania where he met and fell in love with his wife Lily who is the daughter of Count Dracula. Together with the Count they moved to America where they had their first son, Edward Wolfgang. Eventually their niece Marilyn came to live with them when she started attending an American college. All together they are a proud and happy family.

This afternoon on this particular day Grandpa was sitting in his favorite chair reading Stephanie Meyers' novel _Twilight._ He often found himself laughing heartily at the absurdness of the author's descriptions of, and the lifestyle of his race.

Grandpa had long ago retired from being an actual vampire and had resorted to the art of magic and casting spells which he mainly used to benefit the family although his spells and potions only worked about half the time. Still Grandpa loved to turn into a bat every now and then and fly around town at night and also hang out with his fellow vampires in graveyards and such.

Suddenly he heard the sound of a school bus arriving outside and he quickly put down his book and rushed outside to greet his grandson.

Edward Wolfgang Munster, once past his pointed ears, fangs, severe widow's peak haircut, and Fauntleroy suit, was really a typical all-American kid, aside from the fact he liked to howl at the full moon. Today as he jumped out of the school bus he ran up to his Grandpa beaming and waving a slip of paper out to him.

"Grandpa! Grandpa!" he cried out. "I got all A's on my report! I aced science!"

Grandpa beamed as he looked over the report card and found this to be true. "I knew you could do it, Eddie!" he said proudly. "You're a chip off the old block!"

Eddie and Grandpa then joined hands and began to dance in celebration on the front lawn for a while. Grandpa truly loved Eddie and believed there was no finer grandson and he knew that although Herman had coached Eddie on all his school's sports he himself had taught him everything he knew about science.

"Grandpa, there is something I'd like to talk to you about," Eddie said as they went inside.

"Then do tell me," Grandpa urged.

They sat down together on the sofa in the living room as Eddie began.

"There is a junior dance contest being held at my school this Halloween and there is a girl I want to ask to the dance. Her name is Penelope."

Grandpa smiled lovingly. "Why Eddie, you're growing up so fast!" he said as he wiped a stray tear away from his left eye.

"Except," Eddie continued, lowering his gaze. "I don't know how to ask her. I'm afraid she'll say no and laugh in my face, and there is no one else I want to go with other than her."

Grandpa smiled understandingly. "Ah, I see. Quite common for when it's your first date. Well, you listen to some good old-fashioned advice from you good old-fashioned Grandpa. First, you mustn't be shy, you must open yourself up to Penelope, and you must see if she enjoys the same things as you do, that is how you will know if she is the right one for you."

"Got it, Grandpa," said Eddie. "Is there anything else?"

"You must charm her, impress her with your sharp rapier wit which runs in your blood," Grandpa went on, "and you must give her sincere compliments.

"Okay, I think I got it," said Eddie. "I gotta open myself up and sharply impress her."

"Right!" exclaimed Grandpa. "And just so you know, when you open yourself up you mustn't bite unless she's ready for it."

"Okay," Eddie chuckled as he hugged Grandpa closely.

Just then there came a heavy thumping up the front steps and the door was nearly thrown off its hinges as it burst open and in came Herman.

Herman was all of seven feet tall and his dark clothing contrasted his bright green skin. His head was somewhat square shaped and flat on top with protruding eyebrows, and a large jagged scar across the left side of his forehead. Anyone who saw Herman was sure to see his inventor had done splendidly at perfecting his creation. Herman worked at Gates and Goodbury Graves Funeral Parlor he was immensely helpful as he could lift coffins singlehandedly.

"Honey, I'm home!" Herman called out.

Instantly his wife Lily rushed in to greet him, as did his niece Marilyn, Grandpa and Eddie also got up from the sofa.

"Hello, it's good to be home to the best wife in the world!" he declared happily as he gave Lily their quick routine welcome home kiss. Then he turned and and kissed Marilyn on her cheek, "and the best niece in the world," he added. Then he reached down and picked up Eddie and hugged and kissed him as well, "and also the best son in the world," he said. Then finally he turned to hug Grandpa saying, "and the best father-in-law in the world, too!"

Grandpa flinched and quickly backed Herman off. Grandpa wasn't particularly fond of being touched by Herman, come to think of it he had never been particularly fond of his simple-minded and childlike son-in-law at all, but then when Herman married Lily it gave him Eddie so he could live with it.

"Not so fast there!" Grandpa exclaimed. "Herman why are you in such a festive mood today?"

Herman smiled a very broad and wide smile as he reached into the inside pocket of his jacket and pulled out what looked like five tickets.

"Look at these!" he exclaimed as he brandished them before everyone's faces. "Tickets to the new Groovie Ghoulies concert tonight!"

Everyone's faces instantly lit up joyfully, especially Eddie's.

"That's great, pop!" he exclaimed howling with joy.

"But how did you ever get these, Uncle Herman?" asked Marilyn wonderingly.

"They must be awfully expensive," added Lily.

"Weren't nothing to it," Herman said giddily. "One of our customers at the parlor today had these and now she said she couldn't go because of the loss and so she gave them freely to me for my kindness, she said."

"Well," said Grandpa. "I guess it's just as they say, another's loss is another's happiness!"

So then soon Grandpa put on his cape, Lily and Marilyn put on their coats, and Herman put on his hat, and they all went outside and drove to the concert.

As they entered the concert hall they saw that every seat to be taken and the concert had sold out well, and what's more was that every single person who had come had taken on the appearances of vampires, witches, werewolves, skeletons, and other such ghoulish figures. Grandpa was especially pleased with this sight as it seemed to him every vampire in town had turned up tonight.

"I haven't seen a splendid gathering since before we left the old country!" he exclaimed gaily.

Just then the red curtains parted and the performing band appeared from behind them. They were a vampire with a white pale face and thin black hair wearing a night black tuxedo and cape and he was playing a calliope, and a werewolf wearing a yellow shirt and ripped blue jeans and he was playing an air guitar, and a witch with green skin and long red hair wearing a long purple dress with matching shoes and she was playing the keyboards, and there was also a very large and tall fellow with pale green skin and a flattop head wearing black clothing with a gray jacket, he looked rather like Herman and he was playing the drums.

As soon as the applause had ended they all bowed and began their opening song.

"Everybody shout!  
Come on now, sing out!  
It's time for the Ghoulies get-together!  
They got songs for everybody  
Join the Ghoulies,  
They're do their thing for you.  
They're kinda strange,  
They're real funny,  
You'll be glad to know  
They love you, too!

Everybody shout!  
Come on now, sing out!  
It's time for the Ghoulies get-together

You're gonna see  
How funny they can be  
'Cause it's time for the Ghoulies get-together!"

As they played and sang many of the audience members leapt out of their seats and began clapping their hands to the rhythm, including Herman and he jumped up and down and waved his fists and even started singing along in a few places.

As the applause gradually died down a new song began.

"If you're not busy for the next few days,  
Come along with me and throw some time away  
Bring along a blanket and something to drink  
Living in a blackout living on the brink.  
Fun in the dark.

Driving in the darkness piling in our cars  
Sleeping in the swamp and counting all the stars  
Running 'round on rooftops and through Forest Lawn  
Having people wondering what the hell you're on  
Fun in the dark.

If you're not busy for the next few days,  
Come along with me and we can blow this place.  
Nobody is sure how this is gonna end.  
All you need is nothing so come on my friend  
Fun in the dark."

Throughout this song Herman had been singing along with it happily and at the end verse he had gotten so caught up in it he had begun to sing loudly and to stop his feet in rhythm heavily, making the whole place shake. This was noticed by the band on the stage and they looked down at him and the witch pointed a long finger at him.

"You! The handsome green one!" she exclaimed, causing all eyes to turn on Herman. "Come on up here and sing with us!"

Herman looked stunned as he pointed to himself and gasped and suddenly seemed to be very shy.

"Come on, Pop! You can do it!" encouraged Eddie.

His family and the rest of the audience began encouraging him to go up on stage, and so he did, feeling many hands pat his back as he went forward.

Now with Herman on the stage with them the Ghoulies began another song which Herman sang and stomped along to.

"You feel funny, like no one cares.  
When you walk down the street, everybody stares.  
The same people that beat you up listen to your friend's bands,  
And when you ask a question, no one understands.  
You and me are Ghoulie Family, dealing with dysfunctionality.  
Like the branches on that one kid's Christmas tree  
You and me are Ghoulie family.  
Living in a world that's gone inside.

Living on a completely different plane.  
Flushing our futures right down the drain.  
Making the same mistakes with no one else to blame.  
You and me are Ghoulie family."

Then at the end of the concert the vampire approached Herman and asked quietly, "What's your name?"

"Herman Munster," he replied.

The vampire then faced the audience and exclaimed, "Let's hear it for Herman Munster!"

Then the entire audience burst into applause. Herman stood and bowed and grinned from ear to ear so much he nearly busted his bolts as he looked at his family in the front row all smiling up at him with Lily blowing kisses.

"You were really great, up there, Pop," said Eddie when they got home that night.

"Great? Why, you were sensational!" exclaimed Lily and gave him a loving kiss on the cheek.

"I always knew you had it in you to bust a move if you only wanted to," Grandpa added as he clapped Herman on the back.

Herman blushed slightly, turning his cheeks a rosy green color. "I can't think of when I've had more fun in my life!" he said blissfully. "I only hope it won't be the last time!"

A little bit later after everyone had gone to sleep in their beds, Grandpa stood looking out of the window of his coffin room and saw a beautiful starry and misty night it was. A beautiful especially in October for vampires like he. So he decided to go out and visit the local graveyard and see if any ghosts were out and about or any other such friends.

He turned himself into a bat and flew out the window. He flew through the comfortingly chilly night air and soared past the moon. Finally he reached his destination.

The graveyard was so perfectly eerie and creepy and beautifully haunting at this time of night as he transformed himself again and stood and walked around the graves looking to see if anyone was there who recognized him. However he couldn't find anyone, he figured they had all gone off to haunt somewhere. He was just about to transform and fly away again when he suddenly saw someone out of the corner of his eye approaching.

She was a tall woman with long white hair flowing down her back, and she wore a tiara in front of it which looked to have a real ruby in its center. She wore a long foot length crimson red dress trimmed along the front and sides with gold linings. Her complexion was very pale almost white, he noticed. As she entered the graveyard through the gate she brought her arm up to her mouth as if to hide something. A gesture which he knew all too well.

He smiled as he straightaway saw how stunningly gorgeous she looked in the moonlight and he had a sudden strong desire to get to know her, but he suddenly felt shy as she seemed of a royal blood clan, but then he remembered the advice he had given to Eddie that very day and so he called out to her.

"Hello there! Yeah, you! Come over here!"

She made a slight hissing sound as she uncovered her face and barred her two long pointed fangs though she eased up when she saw him smiling with his own. She walked up to him.

"Hello there!" he said jovially. "My name is Sam Dracula. What's yours?"

"I am Countess Vienna Cava," she replied in a rather stuffy way. "Now if you'll excuse me..."

She started to walk away but he quickly called out to her again. "So you're a countess! I am a count, of the Dracula clan, I'm sure you've heard of them. I'm from Romania in Transylvania, where are you from?"

She gave a low annoyed hiss. "From Bach! Now if you will just let me..."

He quickly spoke again. "I live right around the corner at 1313 Mockingbird Lane. Where do you live?"

She hissed and bent her fingers in frustration at him and replied very coldly, "I don't live anywhere, I have no home, I am just flying through here!"

"Oh, I'm sorry, I didn't know," he said slightly embarrassed. Then he smiled eagerly as he approached her again. "You can stay with me and my family for a while in our house on Mockingbird Lane. I am sure my daughter, son-in-law, grandson, and granddaughter would be most pleased to have your company, and so would I most of all!"

She shook her head dismissively. "I do not accept invitations from strangers!" she said with a frightful hiss and turned her back on him once again.

"But... But I..." he stammered helplessly. And then an idea came to him.

"Hey, can I tell you about the time I almost bit Elvis?" he called after her.

She stopped suddenly in her tracks and turned around to face him, a curious and intrigued look on her pretty cold face.

He smiled and approached and began his tale, "I was in Graceland, on holiday, and I walked into a restaurant and I saw this fat man in a white tuxedo with shiny black hair shaped like a sand dune and I walked up to him and said, 'I haven't had a bite in weeks, how about you?' and he replied, "I just got my bite right here, man.' and wouldn't you know it! I thought he meant one of our kind had already bitten him and so I let him go! One of the biggest mistakes I ever made if not the biggest!" he broke out into raucous laughter.

The Countess however did not seem to be amused at all. And she frowned at him disapprovingly and shook her head and before he could blink she had transformed into a bat and had flown away.

He was left standing alone in the deserted graveyard. He looked down at his feet and sighed as he felt a sense of defeat come over him. He didn't know why, but he felt so useless if he couldn't impress the gorgeous Countess. He transformed into a bat again and flew away home again, all the while thinking to himself he was determined to find a way to win her affection if not at least he admiration of him.


	2. Chapter 2

The next day Grandpa sat looking through his family photo album which was filled with pictures of his many past wives. He felt an intensely bittersweet wave of nostalgia come over him as he leafed through the pages remembering the women he had wed over the past four and a half centuries. He had love for all the wives he'd had and still visited them very often but still most of them had been merely human and it had been so long since he had found one who was already an actual vampire, and certainly not a countess.

He thought about his encounter with the Countess Vienna Cava as he had been all day and he remembered how striking she had seemed from the moment he had laid his eyes on her. She was a breathtaking beauty to behold for certain, and yet there seemed a cold bitterness in her that was unlike in any vampiress he had met before. He wondered what could have happened that would've caused her to be this way. He considered asking her about but then quickly realized that would only turn her away from him further. He decided he must somehow impress her to get onto her good side before he could find out about her troubles.

As he was pondering these things he suddenly heard the front doors open and looked up to see Eddie coming in home from another day at school. He noticed he had a rather unnerved expression on his face.

"Hello Eddie," he said as he put his book aside. "How was school today? Did you impress that girl you want to ask to the Halloween dance?"

"No, and that's the problem," Eddie said wearily as he sat down on the sofa beside his Grandpa. "I don't understand. I followed your advice, I opened myself up to her and I didn't bite as I told her how pretty she is and I offered to walk her home after school and carry her books for her."

"So what went wrong?" asked Grandpa curiously.

"I don't know," admitted Eddie. "I just started telling her about you and Mom and Pop and where we live and she gave me this weird look and walked away from me laughing like she didn't believe me."

"Hmm..." Grandpa mused. "It seems I need to try a more romantic approach."

"Huh?" asked Eddie.

"Oh, I mean you need to try a more romantic approach," Grandpa quickly corrected himself.

"But how?" asked Eddie.

"Well, let's go down to my laboratory and see what we've got," he said.

So they went down into Grandpa's private chamber where he kept his own laboratory which was filled with walls of books and shelves and cabinets of flasks, beakers, and jars of herbs and many assorted oddities. And in the very center was a large black cauldron in which he made potions and other kinds of remedies.

"Okay, now let's see what we have here," said Grandpa as he went up to a shelf which was full of assorted vials of pre-made potions. "Now we want you to seem authentically cultured and irresistibly charming and romantic. So let's see... we've got English, Italian, French, and Spanish here for those. Which one would you like to try?"

"I don't know," Eddie said.

"Then let's try all of them out and see which one works best," suggested Grandpa. "Now, what does this girl, Penelope, look like?"

"She was long blonde hair that is pulled back into ponytails with curly ends and has milky white skin and sea green eyes and a few freckles on each cheek and two dimples on either side. She wears a yellow sweater with a plaid skirt and long white stockings and black buckled shoes."

As Eddie spoke of her description Grandpa made motions with his hands underneath a beam of light that filtered out of the ceiling and then right before his eyes an image of the exact description he had given appeared in front of him.

"Now, of course this is only a hologram of the girl you want to go to the Halloween dance with," Grandpa explained. "But it will have the same reactions to your new charms as the real one will, at least I believe so."

Eddie grinned enthusiastically. "Okay, Grandpa," he said. "Let's get started."

So Grandpa handed Eddie one of the vials and he promptly swallowed all of the contents of it which tasted like a strange mixture of fish and chips. Once he was done he turned to the hologram of Penelope and spoke in a deep English baritone.

"Greetings, Miss Penelope! You like very fancy today. I'd be most honored if you were to accompany me to the dance come this Halloween for you are of no other girl of this school, and I quote 'Did my heart love till now? Forswear it sight, For I ne'er saw true beauty till this night.'"

The hologram of Penelope giggled and put her hand to her chest and said, "Why of course, I'd love to."

Grandpa looked impressed. "Very good," he said. "Now let's try another one."

He handed Eddie another vial which he swallowed right away and this one tasted like a double chocolate mousse and when he spoke it was in a charming French accent.

"Comment allez-vous?" he said as he reached out and graciously took the hologram Penelope's hand and kissed it. "Danserez-vous avec moi, le coup manqué ? Will vous go to zee dance wit me, mademoiselle?"

The hologram Penelope exhaled with bliss and then nodded enthusiastically.

"This one's even better!" exclaimed Grandpa delightedly.

He then handed Eddie another vial and he swallowed the contents instantly which tasted like a large pizza pie with extra cheese and pepperoni and when he spoke it was in a very sweet Italian accent.

"Boun giorno Signorina Penelope! I would 'a like for 'a you to come with 'a me to la Halloween 'a danza, per favor?"

The hologram Penelope grinned from ear to ear and replied, "I'd love to, Signor Eduardo!"

"Excellent!" declared Grandpa impressively.

He then gave Eddie the last vial and when he drank its contents they tasted like a hot chilli casserole and when he spoke it was in a most disarming Spanish accent.

"Buonos Dias, Senora Penelope. I was wondering if you might like to go with me to the Halloween dance with me and flamenco, por favor?" He held out his hand and began to do a little flamenco dance.

The hologram Penelope took his hand and began to dance in rhythm with him and replied, "Si, si, Senor!"

"Bravo, bravo!" exclaimed Grandpa clapping his hands. "They all seemed to work great. Which one would you like to keep for tomorrow, Eddie?"

"All of them!" Eddie said at once, now speaking once again in his normal accent.

"Okay," said Grandpa. "I'll start on making the potion for you now and should have it ready by tomorrow morning."

* * *

Lily was dusting around the foyer and arranging the cobwebs when suddenly she heard the doorbell ring. She went to answer it and found the vampire, werewolf, witch, and large headed green fellow from the concert last night standing at the doorstep.

"Mrs. Herman Munster, I presume?" asked the vampire in a deep Transylvania accent.

"Yes, how may I help you?" replied Lily warmly.

"You may remember us from the concert you and your family went to last night," continued the vampire. "I'm Vlad, and this is Frankie, and this is Agatha, and this is Wally," he indicated himself and the others. "We're the Groovie Ghoulies."

"Why of course I remember you! It's a great pleasure to see you again!" Lily said delightedly.

"We're here to see your husband," the vampire continued coming to the point of their visit. "We thought he was sensational last night at our show and we'd like to try out his musical abilities for our future shows."

"Well I'm sure Herman we'll be happy when he comes home from the parlor this evening. He should be home any minute now in fact. Please come in and make yourselves at home." She showed them inside and invited them to sit down on the sofa which they did.

"May I get you anything? Some bat cookies or some fingernail sandwiches perhaps?" she asked.

"No thanks, we're fine," replied the vampire.

About five minutes later the door burst open and in walked Herman with his usual boisterous stride. "Honey, I'm home!" he called out.

Lily at once rushed toward him and gave him a quick loving kiss. She then gestured to the four sitting on the sofa. "Herman, you remember the Groovie Ghoulies from last night?"

"Remember them! How could I forget?" Herman exclaimed with delighted chuckle.

The foursome at once rose from their seats and began shaking hands with Herman in turn of each other.

"I'm Vlad," said the vampire. "This is Agatha, Frankie, and Wally. We really enjoyed your presence with us last night at our show."

"And I really enjoyed being in it!" Herman agreed heartily.

"And we were wondering," the vampire continued, "if you had ever done any musical activity before, if you played any musical instrument, ever sang before last night?"

"Well, I do play a good guitar," replied Herman. "And I did once make a record with it and a song I made up as I was playing and it was played on the radio for a while and then I was scheduled to sing on TV but then I kind of... lost my voice the day before and had to call it quits to it all."

"Hmm... interesting," said the vampire. "I think we would all like to hear sing your song and play your guitar for us."

"Really? You would?" exclaimed Herman in delighted surprise. "I'd love to. Just wait here."

Herman went upstairs for a moment to get his guitar. He came down soon and smiled as he strummed the strings of it with care and began to see in a smooth baritone.

"My toe bone's connected to my foot bone,  
My foot bone's connected to my heel bone,  
My heel bone's connected to my ankle bone,  
That's how they connected those dry bones!  
Do, do, do, do,do!

My leg bone's connected to my knee bone,  
My knee bone's connected to my thigh bone,  
My thigh bone's connected to my hip bone,  
That's how they connected those dry bones!  
Do, do, do, do, do do!

Back with Dr. Frankenstein  
Is where my story starts!  
Everything I have may not be much!  
But I'm a gentleman of parts!

My arm bone's connected to shoulder bone,  
My shoulder bone's connected to my neck bone,  
My neck bone is bolted to my head bone,  
That's how Herman was born!

And I was assembled!  
And that's how Herman, baby, was born!"

Everyone applauded as he strummed the last note. "Bravo! That was fantastic!" exclaimed the vampire. "Tell me, do you have any other instruments around the house?"

"We do have a big harp in the living room which Lily is quite good at, and we have that old organ in there also which Grandpa usually plays," replied Herman.

"Do you think we could play one of our songs with them and you could join us with your guitar?" inquired the vampire.

"Why sure, that'd be splendid!" exclaimed Herman in rapture.

So that evening the family gathered in the foyer and Frankie sat at the organ and played out a monotonous tune while the witch Agatha sat by the harp and Herman in a chair between them playing his guitar as they all sang the song.

"Down in the graveyard on a Saturday night  
When the chains on the gates are locked up tight  
You're my graveyard girlfriend  
The whole damn world is going to hell,  
But when I'm with you I could never tell  
You're my graveyard girlfriend  
The dead are all at rest in peace,  
With just the bare necessities  
You're my graveyard girlfriend  
I don't care what the neighbors say  
I'll be your graveyard boyfriend  
Till my dying day  
You're my graveyard girlfriend  
One day I'll lay next to you  
In a beautiful coffin built for two  
You're my graveyard girlfriend"

Everyone cheered and applauded at the end of the song and the vampire stepped up to Herman and patted him on the shoulder.

"You played and sang really, really well," he said. "So well in fact that as the leader of the Groovie Ghoulies I would personally like to invite you to come sing with us live on stage again tomorrow night at our next concert. Would you willing to do so?"

"Willing? I was born willing!" Herman declared wholeheartedly.

"Excellent," said the vampire.

* * *

Meanwhile, Grandpa had been reminded from the song of the countess who he was determined to impress. He figured he should use his magic to the best of his abilities to do so and so after hours of thinking he decided on a special concoction which he used in the good old days for celebrations and other really special occasions.

He tucked the bottle of the formula in his inside pocket and then turned into a bat and flew to the graveyard where he hoped to find the countess. And when he arrived, sure enough, he found her kneeling by a large headstone. He flew in front of her and transformed himself back into a man on the spot. She looked up at him with a most unnerved expression.

"You again!" she seethed.

"Now, now my dear," he said coolly. "There is a lot about me you do not know yet. For instance I am an expert at magic and sorcery and I can amaze you with the wonders I can achieve!"

"Magic?" she said sounding curious suddenly. "I'll have none of your feeble tricks!"

"These are not just tricks they are the real deal," he explained. "Listen if I don't impress you tonight then I will stay away from you for the rest of the afterlife."

The countess seemed to consider for a moment. "Deal," she finally said. "But I'm warning you, if this doesn't impress me you'll be sorry!"

He grinned confidently in response. Then he put two fingers to his lips and blew out a loud whistle and then raised up his hands as though summoning someone or something.

Then all of the ghosts who dwelled in the graveyard arose from their graves in their transparent silvery forms, floating in the air and billowing in the wind. They looked rather unnerved at being woken up so early.

"You summoned the dead, so what? Anyone can do so!" The countess snarled unimpressed.

"Now, now wait just a moment," said Grandpa. "You haven't seen nothing yet. Now this," he brought out a large bottle filled with a strange bubbly liquid of a greenish orange color, "is my very own special Bring to Life Potion! I'll just inject these phantoms with it and you will be astounded I promise you!"

He then took out a large syringe from the other pocket and filled it up with the oozing liquid. He walked up to one of the spooks and injected it with the syringe's needle in the chest. The potion's aura appeared inside the body of the ghost and filled it to capacity. Then it began to glow bright green for a moment and then there was a loud noise like bones being cracked and then there stood in the ghost's place a solid figure with loose greenish skin covered in boils with dirt covered brown hair and wearing worn and tattered clothing covered in dirt, dust, and grime.

The figure looked down at itself for a moment in seemingly great shock and made a low growly noise that sounded like, "Brrraaaww!"

All the ghosts in the cemetery let out loud howls of shock and disbelief, and gave somewhat envious looks and began to glide toward it muttering incoherent phrases and waving their arms in agitation. Grandpa could see what they wanted and so he took the syringe and injected each and every one of the other ghosts in turn which brought about the same reaction as the first one with all the zombified spooks looking more or less human than the other with lighter of darker green skin and clothing in better or worse conditions.

The countess meanwhile looked with a mixture of surprise and uneasiness at this display of bewitchment. "So you've brought them all back from the dead," she said rather huffily. "Yet their still not alive are they?"

"Well, I intentionally left out the special ingredient of it for a very special purpose," he explained. "Now watch and I guarantee you, you will be spellbound!" he gave a rather crazy sounding laugh.

He raised his hands high over his head toward the sky which was covered in dark gray clouds which now began to glow a greenish tint and then they began to shake and roll with loud thunder and great bolts of golden lightning flashed across them. Then finally the clouds filled themselves and burst open sending sheets and blankets of torrential rain crashing down on the ground. The lightning and thunder continued and seemed to create a dancing rhyme and rhythm all around the graveyard.

The countess looked up and around her and for a moment almost seemed to smile. "It's lovely," she admitted. "But what is it for?"

"You just watch and see!" exclaimed Grandpa enthusiastically. He then extending his hands out toward the congregation of zombies and bellowed, "Let the the thrill begin!"

Then as if on cue all of the zombies began to dance and shake their undead bodies in rhythm to the storm as if the pounding thunder, crackling lighting, and crashing rainfall were the music of the Groovie Ghoulies

Grandpa smiled as he watched them and glanced over at the countess and grinned as he saw her gaping at the display before them. He felt so pleased with himself he began to dance with the zombies and after a few moments the thrill of the moment caught hold of the countess too and she joined him and they began to get in the groove as they shook their bodies and turned themselves all about and shook their arms and legs in and out.

After about an hour the spell wore off and the storm ceased as did the zombies thriller dancing and they began to moan and groan again as though they didn't know what to do now.

"Okay fellas, retreat to your abodes!" exclaimed Grandpa as he extended his hands out again.

The zombies understood instantly and turned around and each slowly dissolved back into the ghosts they were before and disappeared slowly from sight, finding peace and slumber once again in the sanctity of their respective graves.

Grandpa turned to the countess with a happy grin alighting his features. "Well, what do you think now, huh?"

The countess seemed speechless for a time and then she let all her long pointed teeth show in a wide grin and replied, "That was the most amazing, most superb exhibition I have ever witnessed in all of my afterlife! I apologize for ever doubting you, you are incredible!"

Grandpa smiled and replied, "I'd be most honored if you were to accompany me tomorrow morning for a grand tour about town."

"I'm sure I'd love to," replied the countess. "But we can't stay out too early, I am allergic to sunlight, you see."

Grandpa gave another enthusiastic grin as he replied, "I can fix that for you."


	3. Chapter 3

Grandpa went back home where he stayed up half the night in his lab concocting his special potion which caused vampire's and other such nocturnal beings to become tolerant of the sun's rays. Once he had completed it he rested for a short while and as he had set his alarm he woke up at half past six o' clock in the morning and he tucked the potion away into his inside pocket of his coat and flew back to the graveyard where he found the Countess awaiting him.

He smiled and bowed as he took out the potion bottle and handed it to her saying, "Here, my fair lady, is the answer to all your limitations!"

The Countess took the bottle and examined the contents inside which looked like liquid pink bubble gum. "Are you certain this will cure me?" she asked dubiously. "The sky is starting to turn pink, the sun is almost up!"

"Trust me," urged Grandpa reassuringly. "I spent over two hundred years perfecting this potion and if it wasn't perfect now I wouldn't even be here with you right now. Go on, drink!"

And so the Countess downed all of the potion in several quick gulps. It actually tasted as much as it looked like pink bubble gum.

A short time later they both watched as the sun rose up from the horizon. It's great golden rays casting a renewed wash of color over the sky and lighting up the world. And sure enough, just as Grandpa had assured her, the sunlight caused the Countess no harm whatsoever.

"Great Scott! It worked! I am free to go wherever I want and to do whatever I please now!" she exclaimed in delight.

"You sure are!" said Grandpa gaily. "Now if you will accompany me, I will show you around town!" He offered her his arm and she took it and off they went.

They strolled into the town of Mockingbird Heights and walked along the sidewalk and watched people walk along beside them, some of them casting curious glances towards them every now and then. They watched the cars speeding along the streets with people going off to work and to school in them.

"What are those?" asked the Countess as she pointed to the cars.

"Those are automobiles," replied Grandpa. "Humans get around in them, and my family owns one ourselves. Perhaps one day you'll be able to ride in it."

"I can't believe I am actually walking outside in broad daylight!" the Countess said as she took in all the sights and sounds of the city. "And amongst humans no less!"

"I know how you feel," said Grandpa. "I used to be just as leery of humans as they were of me. But one day I got curious about what life was like for them and how they were during the day and so I started on my anti-sunlight potion and once I had perfected it I started seeing human lives from a whole new perspective. Once you actually get to know them you find they're really worth more than just for their blood."

"Haven't you bitten anyone's neck since then?" inquired the Countess curiously.

"Nope, not since I left the old country actually," replied Grandpa solemnly.

"But why?" asked the Countess.

"I don't know," said Grandpa. "I guess I just sort of lost my taste for blood after four-hundred years. Human blood anyway," he added reflectively. "I sometimes like to go up to a farm somewhere and take a drink of cow's blood. Have you ever tasted of it?"

"Only once," replied the Countess. "It had a rather unsavory and unsatisfying taste to it. I much prefer the old fashioned way of things." She then shielded her eyes from the brightness of the early morning sun."

"Are you alright?" asked Grandpa concerned.

"Well, I guess my eyes just aren't yet used to such brightness," she said.

"I can fix that," said Grandpa cheerfully. He pointed up at the sky flicked his index finger at the sun and instantly a mass of thick white clouds sailed over it, concealing its rays from the town.

"Ah, that's better. Thank you," said the Countess gratefully. "You are most impressive with your magical arts."

"Aw, it's just a hobby really," replied Grandpa modestly. "I just love dwindling with the forces of nature, as well as trying to cure ailments and what causes them. For instance I have invented a potion that enhances the capacity to be happy and another one that enhances the capacity of energy. Maybe someday I'll let you try them out. They sure worked on my son-in-law," he added as an afterthought.

"Your son-in-law?" the Countess inquired. "What about him?"

"His name is Herman, Herman Munster," replied Grandpa. "He's always happy and full of energy. He's also very foolish, but my daughter Lily loves him to death and so if he makes her feel happy and loved I cannot complain about him... much. You see, I had always wished for Lily to marry one of our race, but she met Herman and it was love at first sight from what I heard and I was never one to deny the happiness of one of my family. The day before the wedding he was so nervous he came to me for a remedy and so I gave him a confidence potion I had just invented and I think it worked a little too well. But at least he usually uses his confidence for good purposes."

They were now passing by the grocery store, the bakery, and the butcher's shop. On the curb they saw two middle-aged men talking loudly to each other in very irritated voices.

"You were wrong!" one of the exclaimed.

"I was right!" the other one declared.

"No, you're never right!" the other one shouted back.

"I'm always right!" exclaimed the other one.

Grandpa shook his head at such an uncivil display.

"Those two remind me of animals," said the Countess.

"So they ought to be animals!" declared Grandpa. He flicked his left index finger at the two men and at once they bent down on their knees and walking and hooting and waving their arms like monkeys.

The Countess giggled at the sight, and yet also asked Grandpa in a serious tone, "How funny, but what if they end up in a zoo?"

"No need to worry," he assured her. "The spell will wear off within five to ten minutes and then they won't remember anything about it or their argument either."

He looked across the street and saw the clothing store and found a few people standing in front of mirrors and looking at themselves in new duds. One man caught Grandpa's attention. He was wearing only a white shirt with a green vest and brown trousers and he his expression looked as boring as his appearance.

"The poor guy has no sense of taste!" declared Grandpa. "I'll fix it for him!"

He flicked his index finger once again at the man and in flash of bright lights his plain clothes turned into a bright blue blazer with gold chains and dark purple bell bottomed pants with green and red suede shoes. The man looked stunned for a moment and then grinned at his reflection and started posing.

"How brilliant that was!" exclaimed the Countess looking at Grandpa in admiration. "How did you get started in the arts of magic?"

"When I was a boy a wandering sorcerer came to our castle and gave my father a spell-book and a magic cauldron, but he locked them away in the basement and forgot about them. Then when I was old enough I found them again and started to study the spells in the book and practicing potions in the cauldron. And now it's all in my fingertips!"

"You're so different from any other vampire I have ever met, especially a Dracula," said the Countess.

"So tell me, have you ever been married?" asked Grandpa after a while.

"Well, no... not really... I... No, I have never been married," the Countess replied, stammering slightly.

"I have. Many times," replied Grandpa exuberantly. "Most of the women I've loved have been human and I've never made sure it work out with us before biting a woman. The last time I had a fully blooded vampiress for a spouse was in the beginning and she gave me two beautiful daughters. She left me after a few years because she wanted more out of life than what I gave her, or so the note she left had said. I admit I was heartbroken for a long time but at least I have precious mementos of our marriage to console me. I got married again so much to try to ease the pain I carried around in my heart, but I could never have any more children with any of the others, it just didn't seem right."

"So you never saw your first wife again?" inquired the Countess sympathetically.

"I did, actually," said Grandpa brightening. "She came to visit my family and brought gifts for them, the gift she brought me was herself and it was enough for. I finally had the chance to confront her with all the pain she'd caused me, but at the same time I realized I still loved her and we went to the old country for a while just to relive the old days. Afterward she planned to come live with us but she not surprisingly she didn't, and I'll just keep holding onto the memories forever."

The Countess changed the subject rather abruptly. "So you have a family? Do tell me some more about them."

"My niece, Marilyn Mundane is living with us right now since she started attending a college in the States. She is a full-blooded vampiress being the daughter of my second daughter, and yet she doesn't look anything like the rest of the family, sadly. She has blonde hair and blue eyes and a very bright complexion. I don't know why she turned out to be an ugly duckling but she did, but we still love her and treat like we treat the rest of us. I've been working a a cure for her, but it's proving to be my most challenging concoction yet."

"And," Grandpa continued with a warm glow in his eyes, "there's my grandson, Edward Wolfgang, Eddie for short. He's thirteen years old and he is the best grandson ever. He's been getting straight A's for three years now and he takes after the wolverine side of the family, he howls at the moon whenever its full, though he does have a bit of me and his mother in him too and it's really starting to show now that he's reached the age in which he thinks about girls. Just before I left today I gave him a special formula to help him impress a girl he likes."

They had now entered the park in which they found some very young children playing a swing set, a slide, a jungle gym, a seesaw, and a merry-go-round. There was a bench sitting in the shade with an elderly man laying on it fast asleep. Grandpa noticing this, flicked his index finger at him and almost immediately he sat up, rubbed his eyes, and then walked away.

Grandpa smiled in satisfaction and led the Countess over to the bench where he gestured for her to sit down before him and she did and he sat down beside her.

Grandpa noticed a little girl of about three years trying to push herself on a swing and she was having a lot of difficulty. Grandpa flicked his finger at the swing and suddenly it came to life and began to swing back and forth going higher and higher as if an invisible hand were pushing it from behind. The little girl squealed with delight.

"Now, I think that's enough about my family," he said. "Why don't you tell me about yours?"

The Countess seemed suddenly troubled. "My family lives mostly in Scandinavia. I have many cousins there who have many young nieces and nephews whom I have yet to meet."

"So why don't you fly over there and see them?" asked Grandpa in puzzlement.

"Because I can't," replied the Countess sorrowfully. "I've never learned how to fly... and besides... they don't know that I am a vampiress."

"They don't?" Grandpa said, staring at her in surprise as she lowered her gaze from him. "But why ever not?"

"My mother was made a vampire when she was in her teens and I was the result of her marriage which lasted only a year. My mother was always so ashamed of what she had become that she never learned the ways of the vampires and I didn't learn them until I was much older, and so most of our relatives never found out about that my mother was bitten."

Grandpa felt rather shocked at learning this. But he didn't know how to respond for he had never heard of such a thing as a vampire being ashamed to become one, let alone to be born one. He placed his hand over hers and rubbed it gently for a while. Then he finally said,

"But you shouldn't be ashamed of what you are. Being a vampire is one of the best things to be born as, and I should know because I was born as one."

"But it's different with you," she replied. "You come from a proud heritage."

"But just because you're different from the rest of your family doesn't mean you shouldn't know them," he continued. "Remember how I told you about Marilyn? We are sorry that she is different from us but we are not ashamed of it and we love her all the same. How do you know your family won't unless you give them the chance?"

"I don't know," she admitted. "But I'm afraid I'm uncomfortable talking about this here and now, and I'm also getting hungry, you know I haven't had a bite all morning."

"Neither have I," said Grandpa. "I know of a restaurant in town that serves the best raw meat steaks on the house. Come with me."

So he and the Countess ate their fill at the restaurant and he told her more about his family and all of the misadventures they had met with over the years but he kept the subject of her family at rest.

* * *

"Grandpa! Grandpa!" Eddie exclaimed as he tried to shake his Grandpa awake.

"Eddie? Oh! How was school today? How did you do with Penelope?"

"Not so good," Eddie said miserably.

"What do you mean?" asked Grandpa in surprise. "All of the potions you tried on the hologram last night worked like a charm."

"I think the problem was trying all of them," Eddie replied. "You see, I walked up to her at her locker this morning and said, "Comment allez vous, Senorita! What light through yonder window breaks! Mamma Mia! It is a' dee East and you are 'a zee sun! Come 'a wit moi and vee vill 'a flamenco de night away!" Eddie hung his head in embarrassment. "She laughed and walked away, said she thought I was playing a joke on her."

Grandpa choked back his laughter and said, "I see. Well, Eddie it was really all my mistake to begin with. I should have just told you to just be yourself. Like old Shakespeare once said, 'To thine own self be true'. After all, you do want Penelope to like you for who you really are, don't you?"

"Well, I guess so," said Eddie. "But how can I be sure she'll like me and even be willing to go to the dance with me?"

Grandpa thought a moment and then an idea came to him. "Eddie your father was just as nervous when he and your mother were first dating each other and he came to me often to give him advice and potions, and I gave him one that boosted his confidence so high it has yet to wear off and it gave him the courage to propose to your mother, and so if it hadn't been for it you wouldn't be here now."

"Gee, Grandpa, could you give it to me?" asked Eddie hopefully.

"Of course," Grandpa assured him. "Come, let's go down to the lab."

So Grandpa and Eddie went down to the secret lair and Grandpa mixed up the potion for overt confidence and gave Eddie a dosage of it.

Mmm... it tastes like frog juice!" exclaimed Eddie.

"Well, how do you feel now, Eddie?" asked Grandpa.

"Gosh, I feel stupendous!" exclaimed Eddie. He grinned hugely and showed his long shiny fangs. "I feel just super!" He brought up his arms and flexed his muscles from side to side. "I feel like I can take on anyone and anything! I feel like no girl can resist me easily! I feel like I can fly to the moon!" Eddie put his head back and let a long loud howl.

Grandpa suddenly got another excellent idea. He smiled and patted Eddie on the back. "That's great, Eddie! Now you'll get your date for certain!"

Just then they heard a loud thumping coming from upstairs and knew at once what it meant.

"Pop's home! I can't wait to see him!" exclaimed Eddie as he dashed up the stairs again.

Grandpa followed him and they met Lily and Marilyn in the foyer where they all stood gazing awestruck at what Herman had done to his appearance.

He was wearing a shiny golden tuxedo which glimmered off sparkles even in the dimly lit house and a pair of matching golden boots. Over his eyes he wore a pair of shiny black and gold rimmed sunglasses. His hair seemed to have also been given a slightly different style as it was combed into a suede cowlick and covered the stitching on his forehead.

"Well, what do you think everybody? Do I look good, or do I look good?" asked Herman with a slight curling of his lip.

"Why, Hermie baby! You look just like a rock star!" exclaimed Lily.

"Well, that's because I am one, dear," Herman replied as he lifted his sunglasses. "You all know perfectly well that the Groovie Ghoulies have asked me to join them and I have no intention of turning them down. Tonight shall be my first official concert of many to come with them!"

"Oh, I'm so proud of you, sweetums!" exclaimed Lily as she went up to kiss him.

"Me too, Pop," said Eddie. "I bet you'll really knock them dead!"

"I always knew you'd make it big someday, Herman!" said Grandpa, stretching the truth a bit.

So that evening they all went to the Stadium Concert Hall and Herman met the Groovie Ghoulies backstage and they all complimented him on his new trend.

"Whoa, what's shaking Daddy'o!" exclaimed the witch Agatha with a low whistle.

"You really seemed to have outdone yourself, Mr. Munster," said the vampire, Vlad.

"Please do call me Herman," Herman insisted. "We are after all going to be together now."

"How did you get such an expensive looking getup?" inquired the werewolf.

"Not much to it," Herman replied casually. "We keep all kinds of spare clothes down at the parlor."

"We'll here is your instrument," said Vlad, and handed him an extra large guitar "You will be leading us in with your own solo tonight."

"My own solo!" exclaimed Herman in rapturous joy and delight. "Oh boy! Oh boy! Oh boy!"

So the rest of them took their seats as the curtains opened and Herman began to play:

"She's the daughter of Frankenstein, and she's everybody's dream.  
She's the daughter of Frankenstein.  
She ain't got stitches, she's got seams.  
She's the daughter of Frankenstein, and she's the real thing.  
All right.  
She's the daughter of Frankenstein.  
She's got all the right parts in all the right places.  
She's good at filling negative spaces  
She put all those smiles on all those faces  
All right  
Try not to love her: I bet you can't  
Try not to love her: I bet you can't  
She's a wonder to behold: She can charm and enchant  
She's a wonder to behold: She can charm and enchant  
All right  
She's the daughter of Frankenstein."

After the concert Herman sat backstage with the rest of the band and read over a series of contracts they gave him to sign in order to officially join them.

"Well, all this seems to be good and fine," he said as he finished reading the last one. "I guess I'm ready to sign now."

"Good," said Vlad as he handed Herman a ballpoint pen. "It sure will be fantastic to have a partner for Frankie along the road."

"Um... Excuse me. Did you say 'on the road'?" inquired Herman pausing with the pen in hand.

"Yes, indeed," replied Vlad. "Don't you realize we are a well known and popular band and we must constantly be on the move from place to place performing concerts all over the world?"

"So then I'll be traveling with you? How often?" asked Herman a bit uneasily.

"Oh, um... about three times a week or so," replied Vlad easily.

"Three times a week?" exclaimed Herman. "But how will I keep up with my job?"

"I suppose you won't because you'll just have to quit it," replied Vlad calmly.

"Quit? But Mr. Goodbury says I'm the best in the business! And what about my family?"

"Don't worry, you'll still get to see your family... occasionally," replied Vlad.

"Only occasionally!" exclaimed Herman in alarm. "What about at Christmas?"

"Oh, I'm afraid at Christmas we'll be performing in Mexico this year and in Hollywood next year," replied Vlad.

Herman looked crestfallen and he slowly put the pen down on the desk. "Um..." he muttered after a moment. "Could you give me some time to think it over?"

"Of course, we understand," replied Vlad.


	4. Chapter 4

Herman sat on the sofa in the foyer with his hand resting on his chin and a mixed expression of sorrow and thoughtfulness on his features. Grandpa sat down beside him and placed his hand on his shoulder.

"Herman you can't let us get in the way of your career," Grandpa said to him. "You'll be a sensation from all the corners of the world and your life will be filled with glamor and adoring fans everywhere will be asking for your autograph! Your music will become a national treasure and your name will become a household collector's item! This is what you've always wanted, isn't it? Well, now is your big chance."

"You may be right, Grandpa," said Herman. "But won't you and the rest of the family miss me?"

"Miss you we will, but you can call us as often as you like," Grandpa assured him. "And you can still visit us whenever you're in town. And remember we'll all be watching you on television when you're on. But of course it's your decision and I'll leave you to think it over. I'll be down in my lab if you need me." And so saying Grandpa patted Herman on the shoulder and left the room, going down the secret entrance to his private lair.

Herman was left beside himself with his thoughts. Grandpa was right, he thought. This really was his big chance to make a big name of himself and he had always dreamed of such fame. His music and his face would be on every cover and every show from coast to coast and he would be very proud of that, but then how proud would he really be if his family couldn't share in the glamor?

Grandpa stood before his cauldron which was bubbling and pouring out steam as he stirred around the contents in it. He chortled merrily as the substance within it turned a bright shade of golden yellow showing that the concoction had been completed.

He took an empty glass bottle and a long metal spoon dipper and with it he filled the bottle with the potion until it was full. He beamed and grinned in triumph as he sealed the top of the bottle and tucked it away inside his coat.

"Oh boy! With this potion there's no way the Countess will turn me down!" he exclaimed ecstatically to himself.

Just then he heard the door opening upstairs and heard Eddie's voice call out joyfully, "Grandpa! Grandpa!"

Anticipating good news he hurried up the stairs and met Eddie who ran up to him and embraced him.

"Well, it looks like somebody is happy now!" exclaimed Grandpa.

"Grandpa I did it! I did it! I got a date to the Halloween dance! I came up to Penelope and I asked, 'You don't have a date to the Halloween dance, do you?' and she said 'No,' and I said, 'Well how would you like to be my date? There is really no one else I would care to go with at all. So if you will do me the honor of being my date I will make sure you have the time of your life there,' and she smiled and said, 'Well, if you put it that way I'd love to go to the dance with you,' I got a date, Grandpa! And I couldn't have done it without you! Thank you so much!"

Eddie hugged his Grandpa again and he hugged back and said, "Anytime, Eddie, anytime."

Just then they heard Herman's deep booming voice ring out as he entered the room. "Everyone in here now! I'm calling an important family meeting!"

Eddie and Grandpa hurried to the center of the room as Lily came in from the kitchen and Marilyn hurried down from upstairs.

"What is the reason for this meeting, Herman?" inquired Lily once they were all together.

"I want to announce to all of you I have made my decision!" declared Herman with a smile on his face.

"Well, whatever you've decided I will support you all the way," assured Lily.

"That goes from me, too, Herman," added Grandpa. "So what have you decided? Will you join them?"

"Yes, I will join them, indeed," replied Herman with confidence.

"I understand," said Lily rather quietly.

"I will join them, that is, whenever they come back to Mockingbird Heights!" Herman finished.

Everyone's faces looked up at Herman, at first in confusion and then in realization.

"Why, Herman you mean you're going to stay here with us?" exclaimed Lily unable to hide her joy.

"Yes, indeed I am," Herman assured her. "You see, my family is the most priceless prize and the sweetest treasure I have and ever will have and I shall not risk losing them to stardom."

"I knew you'd see the light, Herman baby!" exclaimed Lily as she went up and kissed him.

"I guess you've got your bolts in the right place after all, Herman," added Grandpa, seeming proud of him.

* * *

Later in the night, Grandpa flew out to a clear spot just beyond the graveyard where he met with the Countess. He landed before her and bowed.

"My dear Countess, I bring you the potion that will answer all your dreams and wishes!" He took out the glass bottle of yellowish liquid and held it out to her. "Remember when you told me you never learned to fly? Well, drink this and you will be able to soar with me through the skies, past the moon, behind the clouds, and be free as a bat!"

The Countess took the bottle of potion from him and stared at it. "It sounds rather too good to be true, but I'll give it a try." So saying she opened the bottle and drank all of it's contents.

Grandpa beamed at her and held out his hand, "Now take my hand and I'll show you the whole world from a whole new view!"

She took his hand and they lifted slowly off of the ground and took to the air, rising higher and higher until it seemed all of Mockingbird Heights stretched out beneath them. They held tightly to each others hand and extended out their free arms to keep themselves steady and began to glide through the air with grace and agility.

"I'm flying! I can't believe it! I'm actually flying!" exclaimed the Countess.

"You can see all of the town up here. Look, there's my house up there!" exclaimed Grandpa pointing with his free hand.

The wind rushed past them and they soared onward. They drifted up to the clouds and saw the silver lining they had been given by the light of the full moon. They zoomed through the clouds, sending fog everywhere behind them, and soared past the great silvery orb of the October moon.

They soared over the town on the wings of their hearts and saw many sights. Grandpa held tightly to the Countess's hand and guided her through the air. He felt he had never felt more alive than before now and he hoped the Countess felt the same and glancing over at her awestruck, wide-eyed smiling expression he felt it was true. The Countess seemed to be flying along with much ease and he felt his potion had really worked though he also thought perhaps it wasn't just the potion for he knew all vampires knew how to fly and she just needed to feel it inside of her and so he created the new potion specifically for that purpose.

Grandpa felt so young again, as he always did when he took to the air in flight but now with the Countess by his side he felt there was an extra sweetness added to it now. He felt he wanted this moment to never end. However it did end when he saw the full moon beginning to be covered up by clouds and so he brought them down as swiftly and gently as possible.

Once they were on the ground again he said, "Countess Vienna Cava, there is something I have to know now. Are you happy when you are with me?"

"Yes, as a matter of fact I am," she replied. "You've made me happier than I've ever been in my life."

"I am happy with you, too," he smiled. "Happier than I have been in centuries. And I would like to keep this happiness alive forever. So how would you like to come be with me and join in my family?"

The Countess stared at him in shock. "Are you saying what I think you're saying?"

"Yes, I am," he confirmed. "I want you to be my bride."

Great tears sprung into the Countess's violet eyes and she began to cry. Grandpa could tell they were tears of joy, though he could also sense a certain bitter-sweetness to them also. He reached out and put his arms around and let her rest her head against his shoulder.

After a while she looked up and said, "I know this must mean you love me just as I love you though I never thought I'd love again. I fell in love many times in my younger days but they never lasted very long, most of them turned me away because I was so unfamiliar with the ways of the vampires even though I was and am one. As I got older I stopped seeking out love because I was convinced it could never be for me... and yet here I've fallen in love with you and you are more special to me than any of the younger ones I'd ever met with."

Grandpa smiled with love and understanding. "I know just how you feel. I never thought I could really fall in love again either after my first wife left me. But the moment I met you I knew you were extra special and I wanted to impress you more than anything else in the world."

"Though you should not have had to try to impress me for me to be impressed," said the Countess. "If I had only cared to look deeply into your eyes as I am now I could have easily seen then what I so clearly see now. That you have a kind heart, a talented mind, and a free spirit."

Grandpa smiled and said, "And I assure you that I want to marry you completely out of love and not out of pity for you really are very special to me. Come, you must meet my family."

So Grandpa took the Countess to his house and unlocking the door they entered and found everyone gathered in the living room.

"Everyone!" Grandpa announced. "May I introduce to you Countess Vienna Cava, my fiance!"


	5. Chapter 5

The wedding was held on Halloween night in the Munsters backyard which was all decorated with red and black streamers held in place by plastic bats and complimented with cherry blossoms. Blood-red and night black roses were everywhere. In the corner was a banquet table laid out with a royal vampire's feast and in the center was a large six-layer white and red wedding cake with a large plastic bat at the top. In the center of the yard stood a tall arch for Grandpa and the Countess stand underneath as they recited their vows to each other.

Every vampire and vampiress that the two of them knew had turned up and were seated in rows upon rows of chairs and the Munster family sat in the front row with Lily beaming as she blinked back tears and Herman openly sobbing into a red checked handkerchief.

They all watched as Grandpa, wearing his best black and red tuxedo, and the Countess, wearing a long sleeveless lacy black wedding dress with a matching black vein covered with tiny bats which had been made especially for her by Lilly and Marilyn, walked slowly down the aisle made between the rows of chairs holding hands while the Countess clutched a bouquet of black withered roses in her free hand.

They stood underneath the wedding arch and faced each other as they began to recite the traditional vows between a vampire and vampiress. Grandpa began first.

"Your blood is the purest  
Of this I am the surest  
Together we'll fly  
Side by side, day by day  
Searching for the reason why  
Light by light, slay my mind."

The Countess took up the next verse.

"Dark is the sunlight, we cast the right together  
Dark is the sunlight, or I'm blind forever  
Dark is the sunlight, we'll spend the light together  
Dark is the sunlight, or I'm blind forever."

Grandpa slowly lifted up her dark veil and recited the next verse:

"Goin side by side, day by day  
Searching for the for the reason  
Light by light, I slay my mind  
There's no solution"

The Countess picked up two small black goblets on a small end table next to them and handed one to Grandpa and kept the other one as she recited the last verse:

"Dark is the sunlight, we cast the right together  
Dark is the sunlight, or I'm blind forever  
Dark is the sunlight, we'll spend the light together  
Dark is the sunlight, or I'm blind forever."

Then at the same time they both drank from each of their goblets which contained a pint of each others own blood. And so now they were officially wed. All of the guests applauded.

Then as everyone gathered around the banquet table and helped themselves to food and cake Lily came up to Grandpa and kissed on both cheeks saying,

"Grandpa I'm so happy for you! I always knew you'd find true love someday!"

"Now you mustn't forget your mother, my first wife," Grandpa told her gently. "After all she was the one who put love in this old heart of mine and kept it longing for more."

"Of course, Grandpa," said Lily. Then she turned to the Countess and kissed her as well. "I am so thrilled to have you in my family!"

"So am I," added Herman. "You promise me you'll keep Grandpa happy."

"I promise," said the Countess.

"Grandpa," Herman continued. "I know we've had our differences in the past but now that we have a new member of the family live with us at your side I really hope we can get on better terms with each other."

"Well, we'll see how it works out, Herman," said Grandpa cordially.

Soon afterward there was vampire's wedding waltz and Grandpa danced with the Countess alongside their guests as Herman played and sang along with his pals, the Groovie Ghoulies.

"Don't try & fight it, just let it be.  
Ain't no denying you're the one for me.  
By tomorrow morning everything will be fine.  
The spell is on & you're gonna be mine.  
I'm gonna tell you how it's gonna be.  
You're gonna give your love to me.  
You'll think only of me every single hour.  
The spell is on & you're under my power.  
Don't try & fight it, just let it be.  
Those were the words that she spoke to me.  
Now she's the only person that I want to see.  
The spell is on and I don't wanna be free."

"She looks like one.  
She dresses like one.  
Got kicked out of the Goths for having too much fun.  
She's my vampire girl.  
Stays up all night, goes to sleep when it's light.  
Her hair is midnight black.  
Her face translucent white.  
She's my vampire girl.  
Anyone would be honored to hang around with her.  
She might be considered bats, but one thing I know for sure:  
you better not make fun.  
You wish that you were one.  
She lives in New Orleans but she still gets things done.  
She's my vampire girl."

After the party was over the Countess tossed her bouquet into the crowd of guests and they all leaped over each other to catch it. Then she and Grandpa held tightly to each others hands and flew away for their honeymoon in Transylvania with black rose petals being thrown after them in their wake.


End file.
